Fruit-sizing machine.



W. 1). MURRAY.

FRUIT SIZING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1911.

1,013,092, r Patented Dec.26,1911

I Fig.4. I

8 d v V I less conveyers placedside by unrrn STATES PATENT. orri'cn.

WALTER. 1o. MURRAY, 01 PORTLAND, MAINE, assumes or ONE-HALF 'ro GEORGEE,

LIBBY, or PORTLAND, MAINE.

To all whom 'itmayrancmf:

Be it known that I, WALTER D. Mummy,

of Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Sizing Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for siz: ing fruit 1 such; as oranges,fruitand it may alsobe used 'for thes zing of any articles similarly.shaped which require to be graded according to size.

The object of my invention ,isto produce a machine in which the fruitmay besi'zed and raded using morethan onediameter and which shall} dothe grading without rolling or tum hug the fruit. These objects areaccomplished by means ofthe ma chine herein hown and claimed.

I illustrate my invention by means of the accompanying drawing, in whichis shown a fruit sizing machine constructed according to my invention.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine, Fig. 2 is aplan of the same, and Fig. 3 is a cross section onthe line X. X. ofFig. 1. Figs. 4. and 5 show modified forms of supporting blocks.

In the drawing, It represents a suitable framework on which the movingthe machine are mounted.

The fruit is graded by means of two endside with diverging paths andcarrying a series of supparts of porting blocks which carry the fruitanddrop ltat the appropriate point according to its size. As here shown,I providea pair of sprocket wheels I; at each "end, of the machine withtwo endless chains 0 running over the sprocket wheels.

are separated so that the paths of the two chains will diverge fromfront to sprocket chains are supporting blocks which hold the fruitsuspended over the 1 space between the chains until thedivergence of thechains causes them to be dropped. As here shown, these supporting blocksd are conical on their supporting sides being preferably made in thecone out in halves. The conical or working sides of the blocks d areturned inward and they are secured to the chain 0 on the perSpecification of Letters Patent. v Application filed. me a,

lemons, grape The sprocket wheels at the. rear end of the machine formof a truncated M nam 1911. m1. Serial 3%.6BL012.

"pendicnla'r or backside. In order to guide the blocks .andhold them inan, accurate path, I- provide a guide strip e which engages "a slot-cutin the under side of each formly along *thechains so that the fruit,will ordinarily be heldjin place by contact two'opposite pairs ofblocks, that is, .-'.the fruit will be graded by two diameters drawn inthe direction of both diameters.

Laterally. extending chutes f are provided for catching the fruit'as itfalls through betweenthe blockswhereby the various grades are separated.

Suitable actuating means are provided for operating" theconveyers'as-the pulley 'g. In practice, the fruit is fed to the machlne one at a time by hand or delivered to the machine by othersuitable means. In grading oranges eachorange is placed between four ofthe supporting blocks and it is carried alonguntil the paths of theconveyers diverge sufiiciently so that the orange is dropped into itsappropriate chute. The oranges-may be disposed in the supporting recessin any desired'way, that is, the longest 'diameter' may be placeddiagonally so that it will determine tem of grading may be useh.

While I have shown the supportingblocks as conical in form and asarranged in opposit-e pairs, and the fruit may be supported by a singlepair of opposite blocks having suit-able conformation as shown in Fig.5; In this case, we have two opposite blocks'as h having recessed sidesso formed that the orange is supported at four .points and gaged by thegreater of its two diameters.

support the fruit at three points as shown in Fig. 4, where the blocks dd are arranged one opposite the space between an chine by simply movingthe two chains longitudinally on the sprocket wheels with relation toeach other bringing the blocks so that they alternate on opposite sides.

, I claim 1. In a machine for sizing fruit, the com- ;ranged to travelside by side in diverging block. iThe blocks are disposed in pairs uniand will not drop untll'supports'. are withthey may be-otherwise formedThe blocks may, if desired, be arranged to the gage or the two di-'ameters may be averaged or any other sys- 7 opposlte pair giving threepoints of support; This arrang'ementmay be effected in my ma-- 'binationof a pair of endless conveyers arv paths, each of said conveyers havinga series of pairs 0i" supporting blocks conical on their supportingsides and spaced to support the fruit between opposite pairs of blocks,the space between opposite pairs of blocks beingless than the diameterof the fruit at one end of the machine and greater at the other end. 7

2. In a machine for sizing fruit, the combination of a' pair of endlessconveyers arside by side in diverging paths, each'of said conveyershaving a series of supporting blocks and each of said blocks having aslot or recess in its under side and a guide strip engaging said recessfor guid-- ing said blocks.

3. In a machine f0 r sizing fruit, the com- Ocpies 01' this patent maybeobtained for five cents each, by Washington, I). 0.

WALTER D. .MURRAY. v

Witnessesz S. W. BATES, C. B. -OREIGHTON.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

